Photo-centric "iPod" clone?
Saw this on Maccentral:
<a href="http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0206/28.picturepad.php"; target="_blank">http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0206/28.picturepad.php</a>;
Talks about a company releasing something that would be like an iPod, except for photos. Sounds pretty full-featured, too, although it's close to $600. Could Apple be designing a similar device? Maybe they will wait and see how this fares before they get into the market.
Matthew
<a href="http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0206/28.picturepad.php"; target="_blank">http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0206/28.picturepad.php</a>;
Talks about a company releasing something that would be like an iPod, except for photos. Sounds pretty full-featured, too, although it's close to $600. Could Apple be designing a similar device? Maybe they will wait and see how this fares before they get into the market.
Matthew
Comments
But SOMEBODY saw it and said "Gaed what an UGLY product". For now I can only believe them.
I note that it hooks up with USB, you can count on a Mac device using Firewire to do the job!
We knew it could and should be done, now we'll wait and see if Apple thinks they could make money in this arena.
D
Here's a URL to illustrate, <a href="http://www.jobodigital.com/products/vista.htm"; target="_blank">Nixvue Vista</a>.
This device has an optional Firewire I/O and a little more selection in HD's. It's not out on the streets yet (supposed to be around July though), but some Camera Stores have them advertised on their websites. An example of their selling price is approx $519 for a 20GB variant, and $619 for the 30GB.
I'll be ... you're right. Just a different paint job. Dang! I hope Apple comes out with one. I'd rather use Apple's offering, but I hope it has both Firewire and USB because, it would be cool to be able to (also) directly connect the camera via Firewire or USB to the iPhotoPod (Digital Cameras are a mixed batch when it comes to connectivity).
Guess I shoulda looked more closely at the other URLs.
The ability to show pics stored on a memory card on a TV is great, but is it really worth so much money?
If Apple is going in this direction, I certainly hope that it includes a large screen, a great camera, firewire, a nice battery & a Toshiba hard drive - all at a price point similar to this device. I doubt that this is going to happen.
dws
[ 06-29-2002: Message edited by: ak2g ]</p>
<strong>Come on people, what's the point of this device?</strong><hr></blockquote>
The whole purpose for a device like this is to provide very large capacity (as in 20GB to 30GB), in as small a device as possible, in order to download images from the digital camera's storage media (Compact Flash/ Smart Media/ Memory Stick cards) so that alot of storage media cards do not have to purchased.
Keep in mind, this device is intended to provide the photographer with an option to leave the heavier, more expensive laptop at home, yet allow the person to be able to take alot of photos (FYI, the higher resolution cameras produce photos in the 16MB to 19MB range, when in a TIFF or RAW format).
[quote]Originally posted by ak2g:
<strong>Honestly, why would you pay for this device on its own? to display pictures on a small screen? are y'all aware of the fact that there are currently other 'picture viewer/storage' devices on the market that have more features to boot?... see <a href="http://www.sonyericsson.com/T68i/"; target="_blank">http://www.sonyericsson.com/T68i/</a>; ...come in guys, <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
[ 06-29-2002: Message edited by: ak2g ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Uhhh, Cool Phone. I just don't want a combo Phone/ camera/ storage device for the digital photos I take. The LCD screen is not intended as a means to share the images with friends, but to provide a means for the photographer to file/delete images and provide a menu for such tasks. Now the cable to attach the unit to a TV, is meant to share images with friends (particularly where a computer is not available, such as if you are on a trip in which you opted to not take the laptop with you).
The bottom line is that this is another tool that other manufacturers have seen a need for and provided an answer (it fits right in with the digital imaging/media capabilities that Apple has been enhancing lately). And I'm sure we all know that Apple can do it much better than these other manufacturers.
<strong>Come on people, what's the point of this device? Honestly, why would you pay for this device on its own? to display pictures on a small screen? are y'all aware of the fact that there are currently other 'picture viewer/storage' devices on the market that have more features to boot?... see <a href="http://www.sonyericsson.com/T68i/"; target="_blank">http://www.sonyericsson.com/T68i/</a>; ...come in guys, <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
[ 06-29-2002: Message edited by: ak2g ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
I can't believe nobody has suggested it yet. Why must the iPod be only an MP3 player? It isn't like it's named iTunes Player. iPod is a pretty generic name.
What's stopping Apple from putting in a new Toshiba 20GB drive (10GB if 20GB isn't avaliable yet), a nice sharp LCD screen and the necessary ROMS and software to have it also deal with images? Add the remote, which would be helpful for both music and image slideshows. Heck with the right software and display adapter, you could even have it be a supersmall presentation companion to carry to your meetings with the remote! How cool would that be?
I don't understand why people would think Apple would release this new image device and also have the iPod. It seems that the iPod could be enhanced to do both jobs with a larger drive (if needed), LCD screen, AV out and remote.
I'm not saying I expect Apple to put out this product. But I am saying that if they have a picture viewer device, it will be an expanded iPod (playing MP3 and displaying and storing Photos) rather than a device that just deals with photos.
<strong>
I can't believe nobody has suggested it yet. Why must the iPod be only an MP3 player? It isn't like it's named iTunes Player. iPod is a pretty generic name.
What's stopping Apple from putting in a new Toshiba 20GB drive (10GB if 20GB isn't avaliable yet), a nice sharp LCD screen and the necessary ROMS and software to have it also deal with images? Add the remote, which would be helpful for both music and image slideshows. Heck with the right software and display adapter, you could even have it be a supersmall presentation companion to carry to your meetings with the remote! How cool would that be?
I don't understand why people would think Apple would release this new image device and also have the iPod. It seems that the iPod could be enhanced to do both jobs with a larger drive (if needed), LCD screen, AV out and remote.
I'm not saying I expect Apple to put out this product. But I am saying that if they have a picture viewer device, it will be an expanded iPod (playing MP3 and displaying and storing Photos) rather than a device that just deals with photos.</strong><hr></blockquote>
As long as the price isn't affected (much), NP. In fact, in that other thread, I suggested something along those lines. I'm just not sure how adding the additional H/W would affect the final $$. Apple could surely save $$ by modularizing the production, one add-on card for music iPod, replaced by another card for a photo iPod.